One of my favorite things to do on a Monday morning is to pour myself an enormous cup of coffee and scroll through Twitter using the hashtag “Monday Motivation.”

There are always so many good ideas and inspirational quotes, like the one above. It includes 9 tips that I wholeheartedly agree with and I want to add another of my own—pray.

Pray, of course, should always be first on the list, not last, but you get my meaning. Without prayer, I truly don’t know how I could handle all of the tragedies and challenges that life dishes out. Over the weekend, I literally couldn’t stop crying as I watched the gut-wrenching news about the Texas church shooting. To think of so many innocent people, many of whom were children, being murdered as they tried to worship. Just beyond belief!

There is a lot of unhappiness, for sure, but if we dwell only on the negative, that doesn’t improve anything at all. I choose to put my faith in the Lord, relying on His wisdom and His plan, rather than my own limited understanding. Certainly, I have moments when I feel blue, but rather than sink into a depression, I choose to do the best I can and be happy, realizing how truly blessed I am.

Since there were a ton of places giving out freebies for Halloween, with many in close proximity, this was a really fun day around here.

First up was Chipotle, where we got “Booritos” for $3.00 each. The promo specified everyone should come in costume. The kids did, I didn’t, but they were still nice enough to offer me the promo fee. I have to say that I am burrito obsessed and these definitely satisfied! My only issue is that there’s never enough guac.

Since IHOP is also in the same shopping plaza by the mall, we went there for dessert afterwards. Kids 12 and under received a free “spooky looking” pancake. No costumes required here, but lots of folks were dressed in a very festive way. According to IHOP’s website, the pancakes should’ve resembled these:

Not sure why, but our location had run out of candy corn, so it was pretty much a regular pancake with a fruit face. The taste was fine and the cost, of course, was zero, so no complaints regardless.

By that point, we were pretty full and after stopping to do a few random errands (bank, post office, etc.), I called my sister in Florida to wish her family a Happy Halloween. She was rushing off to a party, while we were headed home for a quiet evening. The tradition in New England is to Trick or Treat the night before Halloween. I’m not sure how or why this started, but it’s been that way for as long as I can remember. I actually like it better because we can enjoy the actual day as a family while the night before the kids have a fun time with friends.

How are you celebrating Halloween?

This post is sponsored by True Chews® Dog Treats and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I’m being compensated to help share information about the True Chews line of all-natural dog treats, but The Jewish Lady only shares information I feel is relevant to readers. All statements made reflect my true opinion of the product .True Chews is not responsible for the content of this article.

Anyone who is blessed to have a Chihuahua in their home knows how much joy, love, and laughter these little guys bring! I can’t even begin to imagine how much duller life would be without Charlie. No matter what’s going on, he always makes it better—probably because we love going on journeys together.

Recently, I planned out a full day of activities for us, starting at one of his favorite places in the whole world—PetSmart. He enjoys interacting with other dogs that we meet and I like going through the aisles and displays, checking out new clothes, toys, and foods.

Because Charlie is considered a special member of the family, as opposed to just a pet, I am very careful about only buying the highest quality products that are healthy and safe. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised to find True Chews® Dog Treats.

As you can see from this display, they have an enormous variety of treats to choose from. I carefully looked over the packages, making sure it was appropriate for my fur baby. It so awesome to find these great features:

• No Corn, Wheat or Soy
• No Artificial Flavors
• No Artificial Preservatives
• No Animal By‑Products
• Natural Ingredients
• USA-Sourced Chicken
• Made in the USA (very important to because I avoid anything from China)

It was really hard to narrow it down, but I ended up with Chicken Pot Pie Recipe and Premium Jerky Cuts, so he could try two different flavors and textures. Then, we headed over to a Nature Preserve to walk and play in the warm sunshine.

Charlie is 14-years-old now and struggles with dental issues, so anything that’s too hard will not work for him. I figured the Pot Pie would be okay, but I was really curious about the Jerky. I’m happy to report that it’s thin, flexible, and easy to tear, which is perfect for senior dogs.

In addition to the excellent texture, he loved the taste, and ate one of each! Based on these hearty ingredients, it’s no wonder:

Pot Pie: Chicken, Potatoes, Vegetable Glycerin, Peas, Carrots, Natural Flavors, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Paprika.

Jerky: Chicken, Vegetable Glycerin, Natural Flavors, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Natural Smoke Flavor, Paprika.

After two lovely hours, we went to our final journey at the beach. There is truly nothing nicer than sitting on a blanket at dusk, feeling a cool sea breeze and watching the waves. Charlie did get very sandy, but it was worth it to see the delight in his beautiful eyes.

Life’s Journeys sure are better with a Chihuahua by my side. Since he is so amazing to me, I want to return the favor. Giving him True Chews Dog Treats is something we can both feel good about.

Want to get some True Chews for your fur baby? They’re available at pet specialty stores, such as PetSmart, Petco, and Chewy.com, as well as neighborhood pet stores (they’re not sold in grocery stores). Use their store locator to find them near you.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of True Chews. The opinions and text are all mine.

When bad news seems to be all around us, with new and terrible events occurring back-to-back, it’s difficult to remain happy and upbeat. The following guest post offers a unique perspective on how to find hope and healing after tragedy.

After coming home from the concluding services of Yom Kippur, our most holy day in the Jewish faith, I began to ponder what the next chapter of my life would bring.

I am always trying to figure out how I got to where I am today and where I may go tomorrow. What roads will I walk, what mountains will I climb, what rivers will I dare to cross? And, when I stumble and fall, will I be brave enough to get back up?

These thoughts tumbled abound in my head for the next day or so. And then, as if I was struck in the face by an open hand, my ears burned and my head began to spin with the horrible news of the tragedies of Las Vegas. How could thousands of innocent people be in the middle of a concert, no longer full of music but filled instead with the sounds of spraying bullets and screams?

What is happening to the world I once knew? It just didn’t seem real. I had to sit. I had to think. I had to cry. I had to pray.

I managed to get to my office, numb and still in shock. I poured a cup of coffee, took a seat at my desk and turned on the computer. And, before I could even catch my breath, I heard the somber news of the passing of one of my most beloved artists, Tom Petty. His music wrapped a ribbon around my family since before my kids were born. They grew up singing his songs and being inspired by his message.

My mind began to peddle faster and faster. What would the future bring with all this chaos, death, and sadness that we all seem to be bombarded with? The lump in my throat sat on my vocal cords, paralyzing me. My heart was broken. It was a very long and difficult day.

Then, as if to speak to me and steer me in the right direction, as I was driving home that evening, I saw one of the biggest, fullest moons of my entire life. It was smiling down on me from the vast space we call the sky. In that moment, I felt complete gratitude and an overwhelming sense of peace.

The moon reminded me of the cycle of life. Renewed each month, only to fade and disappear, just like the lives of so many people we once knew and in some sense, the reality of what the world once was for all of us. I thought of all those individuals whose moon will never renew, whose lives have been cut short, whose destinies have been interrupted by evil.

As I continued to search the sky for things that made sense, the more confused I became. The stars, the wind, the seas and mountains; I tried to understand the catastrophes of nature. In the last several months, we have seen terrible storms destroy homes and lives. Why, oh why, is this happening…

Are we on a path of destruction, filled with selfishness, violence and carelessness? And if we are, perhaps a new moon may not arise again for any of us?

It then occurred to me that there has to be a reason why things happen in the order that they do. There has to be a reason why at the end of a month of tragedy, senseless loss and destruction, we can still be inspired by a full moon and the renewal that it symbolizes. So, while we are not entirely safe and while I fear for my children and others, I have decided that the renewal of the soul cannot be deadened by a weapon, a hurricane, an earthquake, or the death of a beloved artist.

I will continue to pray, to be an inspiration to myself and those around me, and try to be a ribbon of trust, hope, and safety around all that I love. I will stand up to this hate and violence and I will always carry the message of Tom Petty, may he rest in peace: “Well, I won’t back down. No, I won’t back down.You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won’t back down.”

About the Author:

Stacey Marcus is living a life that she loves, due to the people and experiences that she has been blessed with. Throughout her life, Stacey has been involved with a variety of Jewish organizations, including serving on the executive board of two synagogues, volunteering with various Jewish outreach programs, including Chabad’s Friendship Circle, (a special needs children’s program), for which she was presented an outstanding community achievement award. Stacey has routinely volunteered for the elderly and those with special needs. Over the last several years, thanks to the encouragement of some amazing women, Stacey has become involved with the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) and is now leading trips for other women going to Israel. She blogs regularly at Stacey Inside Out.